Washing machine



A. W. ALTORFER Mar'ch 12, 1929.

WASHING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1925l 1mi-ENTER- Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER, 0F PEORIA, ILLINOIS. I

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed July 42,

This invention has reference to washing machines, and it has for its principal object to improve the dolly or agitating means, whereby to produce a more effective and improved washing action on the articles deposited in the tub or container thereof.

' vThe invention has for a further object to provide a dolly or agitatin member operativel from and by means o a shaft passing up through the bottom of the) tub'or container, and so constructed with radially arranged fins or baffle members and an inter-l mediate surface inclined or curved upwardly from its peripheral edge, that the resultant action of the dolly or agitator, as it is alternately oscillated is to cause the articles being washed to be moved toward the center ofthe dolly or agitating member and upwardly and thence outwardly and Adownwardly; or in other words impart ,to such articles a slow whirl :like motion radially of the dolly or agitator and thereby more effectively cleanse the articles, by constant agitation and the forcing of air and water through the articles. i

A urther object of the invention is to -provide in a washing machine, an oscillatory dolly or agitator so constructed, that it will act upon the articles being washed in a way as to cause said articles to circulate or whirl slowlyin a direction radially of the tub and from and toward the centerV of the tub with a limited circular movement ci-rcumferentially of the tub; the centrifugal actionset Iup by the oscillation of the Idolly or' agitator tends, dr causes the articles as they rise to or above the water line, to recede from the center of the tub, thereby aiding in the radial circulation of such articles.

The invention has for a further object a dolly includingseparable sections arranged for detachable connection with each other and with operative means, and including 'a plurality of upstanding radially arranged baffle members adapted to act on the articles to be washed in a manner as will produce a more eiiicient washing action than heretofore obtained. f y

A further object of the invention is to .i provide a dolly of the character herein referred to withboth upstanding and depending radially arranged baflie members the former adapted to act directly on the articles being washed and the latter adapted to in- A crease the agitation and circulation of the 1925. Serial No. 41,149.

water, resulting in a more efficient washing action. A still further object of the invention is in the provision of a substantially flat tub bottom, next adjacent to which and above the dolly is supported in operative position, said bottom being formed or provided with an4 upwardly pressed or annularly formed ring adapt-ed to encircle the base of the dolly, when in operative position, and serves as a shroud to prevent the articles being washed getting under the edge of the dolly and thereby becoming torn or otherwise damaged. Such a construction of dolly or agitator and shroud makes it possiblc to provide a vtub or container with a comparatively larger surface area than is ordinarily found in washing machines of this character, and making it further possible to locate the doll or agitator with its fins or baffles above tiie tub and closer to the normal water line in which the articles aresuspended, and thereby apply a more constant action of the dolly or agitator on the articles.

That the invention may be more fully un-v derstood, reference is had to the accompanybottom wall of the ing drawings forming a part of the present-v description, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is an elevation, in section, showing a washing machine embodying my invention;

ing element, such as I show and describe, to

provide a tub or container with a comparatively larger surface area than is ordinarily found lin machines of this. class. Saidtub or container is supported by standards or legs 2 and its bottom wall 3, may be substantially fiat, except for theupstanding annular ring 4 which may be pressed or formed in, oryotherwise provided in or on said bottom -wall to. provide, what will be designated a shroud to surround the base of the dolly, tobe described, to prevent arlits lower end, to have a yticles fromv getting under the'edge of the back and forth by a shaft 8. Connected to said shaft 8 is a crank 9 arranged to be operated by suitable means, not shown, from any suitable source of power. The gear wheel 6 and the rack or segment gear 7 may be encased in any suitable housing 10.

- The shaft 5 extends upthrough and has bearing in a stem or casing'll, open at its upper' end and to the upper end of said shaft 5 is connected a coupling member 12 having a depending flange l-encircling the upper end of the stem or casing 1l and the extended axial portion of said member 12 is preferably lsquare, as at 14, to provide a convenient mode of attaching the dolly oragitator, to be described, thereto, and to detach the same therefrom. The lower end of said stem or casing 11 passes through the bottom wall 3 of the tub or container, and any suitable means is employed `to seal the connection between said stem or casing and said bottom wall to prevent leakage around said stem or casing.

The dolly or agitator comprises the separable sections 15 and 16. The former includes preferably a comparatively large anthirds or more, as maybe desired', of the bottom 3 of the tub and when inoperative position is seated in the 'depression formed by the shroud 4 on thetub bottom, as shown. xtending upwardly and axially 'from said base member 17 `is a tubular, sleeve or stem 18 having a bearing position 19, at or near journal bearing on the stem 11, and the upper end of said sleeve or stem is formed or provided with a shouldered .throat 20 having a square opening are ranged axially therein to lit over the squared extension of the coupling member 12eon nected tocthe shaft 5." 'Such a construction provides a simple means by which the dolly or agitator mayo be attached to or detached from A the shaft 5. Extending upwardly from said base member 17, for ao suitable distance and extending' radially inwardly of the said sectionA ,15 to a suitable distance are a plurality of radially arranged fins orv baille members 21 and preferably spaced inwardly from said baffles or fins and upstanding from said .base member 17 are lugs 22. And, depending -from said base member 17 and in the same vertical plane with the fins or baiies 21 are arranged fins or baiiies 23 ywhich extend radially of thedolly and from the peripheral edge of the base member 17 to a point short of the axis thereof. These of the sleeve or stem 18.

n section 16 nular base member 17 adapted` to cover-two i t sleeve-like portion at 24 between the respective lins or baftie members 2l and 23, as shown.

The section 16 ofthe dolly comprises a preferably annular base 25 and an upstanding preferably tapered tubular sleeve-like portion 26 with a contracted neck 27 adapted to fit down over the shouldered throat 20 In operative position, the section 16 overlies or is superimposed in position on the vsection 15, with its base 25 resting on the base member 17 of the section l5, as shown. The base 25 of the section 16 is of a diameter to lie within thev ins or balles 21 on the section 15 and it is -provided with depending sockets or seats 28 into which are inserted the lugs 22 on the section 15. Such construction provides a connection between the base portions of the two sections 15 and 16, whereby they may oscillate in unison, while at the same time the said sections may be removably attached to each other and connected to and disconnected from the shaft 5, the surface of the preferably slopes inwardly and upwardlyjas at 29 merging into the sleevelike portion 26, forming in effect a central cone-like structure. Also formed orprovided on the base of the section 16 area plurality of radially arranged, upstanding lins or baffles 30 which, as rshown in Figure 2, extend inwardly from the peripheral edge of said section 16 and merge or fade into the 26. The upper ends of said fins or battles 3() are preferably curved vdownwardly and upwardly toward the center of the dolly section 16 and then merge or fade into the sleeve-like portion 26. It is to be observed that the fins or baffles 30 are preferably positioned alternately to the fins or baffles 21 and that their upper ends are preferably in a horizontal plane above the highest points of the fins or baiiies 21. The fins or baffles 30 extend longitudinally of the sleeve-like portion'26 and project aA short distance outwardly therefrom and in operation tendv to force the articles being washed outwardly, whereas the combined action of the curved surface of the section 16 and the fins or bailies 21 on the section 15 is to draw the articles inwardl and upwardly of the dolly or agitator. tions is the centrifugal force set up by the oscillation of 'the/dolly or agitator, which tends or causes the articles as they rise to or above the water line, to recede from the center of the tub, thereby aiding in the radial circulation of such articles. Eurthermore, it is to be understood that with this slow whirling or radial circulation of the ombined with these acmuch as it is supported from the upper end of said shaft, will determine the position of the fins or battles in the water in the tub, or

container, and the relative positions' of such fins or baliles to the normal water linein the tub; also the position ofthe base of the dolly' or agitator to the bottom wall of the tub. The post or stem connection formed between the shaft 5 and the dolly or agitator is such, that the upper end thereof ssuiiiciently far above the water, when agitated, to prevent leakage through the top of saidstem.

As the dolly or agitatoris oscillated, the articles are moved upwardly and inwardly and outwardly and downwardly, being given a slow Whirl like action in a direction radially of the tub from and toward the center of said tub, with a limited circular movement circumferentially of the tub, tumbling `the articles overeach other, changing their positions and effectively forcing air and water therethrough. It is Well understood that the rubbing together of the articles intensiiies the cleansing, and this is ace-entouated by those parts of the articles coming together at or above improved washing action, produced by the peculiar arrangement arid ,construction of the dolly or agitator', the articles are con stantly being projected to or above the water line and caused `to tumble and rub against each other and thereby the cleansing made more effective. c

In Figure l, I have illustrated the normal Water linea-nd the relation of the baiiles of thc dolly or -agitator thereto and I have also shown by arrows theI approximatemovement of the articles in a radial direction toward andfrom the axis of the tub.

lVhat I claim is f, o

l. In a washing machine, a tub, a dolly comprising separable sections supported above the bottom wall of the tub, means to.

clutch theA sectionsu together when in operative positions, means .to..y oscillate said dolly alternately in opposite directions about a substantially central point, and cofoperating the waterline. By myY likc motion in a\radial direction from'and toward the aXis of said dolly.

2. In awashing machine, a tub, a dollyl comprising separable sections supported above the bottom wall of the tub, means to clutch the sections together when in operative positions, means to oscillate said dolly alternately in opposite directions aboutD a substantially central point, and co-operating means on each of the said sections arranged to impart to articles in said. t'ub a whirl-like motion in a radial direction from and toward the axis of said dolly and a limited circular movement in opposite directions circuniferentially of the tub.

3. In a washing machine, a dolly composed of separable sections arranged in superimposed relation, the lower section being of larger diameter than the upper section and the surface of the upper sectionvsloping inwardly and upwardly, and both said sections provided With radially arranged upstanding bathe members, and means to clutch the sections together when in operative positions. v

4. In a Washing machine, a dolly composed of separable sections yarranged for fconnection superimposed relation, the surface ofthe 'upper section sloping inwardly and upwardly and having radially arranged upstanding baffle members thereon, and the ,base of the lower section provided with both upstanding and depending radially arranged baile members.

5. In a vwashing machine, in combination, a tub having, a bottom wall provided Vwith arr upstanding annular portionV formed therein -constituting a shroud, a drive/shaft eXtending through said bottom-wall, means for os'- cillating said shaft, a dolly operatively connected withsaid shaft and adapted to osciln late Within said shroud, baille members eX tending upwardly from thei'ipper surface of said dolly and additional baille members eX- tending downwardly from the lower surface of .said dolly and operating within said shroud.

6. In a washing machine, in combination,

a tub, an annular member thereon constituting a shroud, and a dolly adapted to be mounted within the tub and/oscillated with-rv in the' shroud, said d ollyhaving baille members depending therefrom and extending within the area encompassed by said shroud. v

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed myhan'd this .20th day of June, 1925.

4 ALPI-IEUS W. ALTORFER. 

